Structure and reactivity studies of the aluminum analogue of Piers' borane [HAl(C6F5)2]3

The aluminum analogue of Piers' borane, [HAl(C₆F₅)₂]₃1, is prepared on a gram-scale. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal 1 has a higher fluoride ion affinity (FIA) than Piers' borane, while the Al-H moiety proved to be a strong hydride donor, reacting with alcohol and terminal alkyne to give the corresponding dehydrogenative products 3 and 4. Hydroalumination product 5 was prepared via reaction of 1 with aldehyde. In addition, 1 catalyzes the hydrosilylation of alkynes and alkenes.

Activation of Si-H and B-H bonds by Lewis acidic transition metals and p-block elements: same, but different

In this Perspective we discuss the ability of transition metal complexes to activate and cleave the Si-H and B-H bonds of hydrosilanes and hydroboranes (tri- and tetra-coordinated) in an electrophilic manner, avoiding the need for the metal centre to undergo two-electron processes (oxidative addition/reductive elimination). A formal polarization of E-H bonds (E = Si, B) upon their coordination to the metal centre to form σ-EH complexes (with coordination modes η1 or η2) favors this type of bond activation that can lead to reactivities involving the formation of transient silylium and borenium/boronium cations similar to those proposed in silylation and borylation processes catalysed by boron and aluminium Lewis acids. We compare the reactivity of transition metal complexes and boron/aluminium Lewis acids through a series of catalytic reactions in which pieces of evidence suggest mechanisms involving electrophilic reaction pathways.

Primary Alcohols via Nickel Pentacarboxycyclopentadienyl Diamide Catalyzed Hydrosilylation of Terminal Epoxides

The efficient and regioselective hydrosilylation of epoxides co-catalyzed by a pentacarboxycyclopentadienyl (PCCP) diamide nickel complex and Lewis acid is reported. This method allows for the reductive opening of terminal, monosubstituted epoxides to form unbranched, primary alcohols. A range of substrates including both terminal and nonterminal epoxides are shown to work, and a mechanistic rationale is provided. This work represents the first use of a PCCP derivative as a ligand for transition-metal catalysis.

Deoxygenative Divergent Synthesis: En Route to Quinic Acid Chirons

The installation of vicinal mesylate and silyl ether groups in a quinic acid derivative generates a system prone for stereoselective borane-catalyzed hydrosilylation through a siloxonium intermediate. The diversification of the reaction conditions allowed the construction of different defunctionalized fragments foreseen as useful synthetic fragments. The selectivity of the hydrosilylation was rationalized on the basis of deuteration experiments and computational studies.

Twenty-five years of bis-pentafluorophenyl borane: a versatile reagent for catalyst and materials synthesis

Highlights of the extensive chemistry and applications of bis-pentafluorophenyl borane (“Piers’ borane”) from the 25 years since its first appearance are featured.

Comparative DFT study of metal-free Lewis acid-catalyzed C–H and N–H silylation of (hetero)arenes: mechanistic studies and expansion of catalyst and substrate scope

Direct selective dehydrogenative silylation of thiophenes, pyridines, indoles and anilines to synthesize silyl-substituted aromatic compounds catalyzed by metal-free Lewis acids was achieved recently. However, there is still insufficient mechanistic data for these transformations. Using density functional theory calculations, we conducted a detailed investigation of the mechanism of the B(C₆F₅)₃-catalyzed dehydrogenative silylation of N-methylindole, N,N-dimethylaniline and N-methylaniline. We successfully located the most favourable reaction pathways that can explain the experimental observations notably well. The most favourable pathway for B(C₆F₅)₃-catalyzed C–H silylation of N-methylindole includes nucleophilic attack, proton abstraction and hydride migration. The C–H silylation of N,N-dimethylaniline follows a similar pathway to N-methylindole rather than that proposed by Hou's group. Our mechanism successfully explains that the transformations of N-methylindoline to N-methylindole produce different products at different temperatures. For N-methylaniline bearing both N–H and para-phenyl C–H bonds, the N–H silylation reaction is more facile than the C–H silylation reaction. Our proposed mechanism of N–H silylation of N-methylaniline is different from that proposed by the groups of Paradies and Stephan. Lewis acids Al(C₆F₅)₃, Ga(C₆F₅)₃ and B(2,6-Cl₂C₆H₃)(p-HC₆F₄)₂ can also catalyze the C–H silylation of N-methylindole like B(C₆F₅)₃, but the most favourable pathways are those promoted by N-methylindoline. Furthermore, we also found several other types of substrates that would undergo C–H or N–H silylation reactions under moderate conditions. These findings may facilitate the design of new catalysts for the dehydrogenative silylation of inactivated (hetero)arenes.

We investigated the mechanism of the dehydrosilylation of (hetero)arenes and extended the scope of the silylation catalysts and substrates.

Catalytic Access to Bridged Sila- N-heterocycles from Piperidines via Cascade sp3 and sp2 C-Si Bond Formation

Described herein is the development of an unprecedented route to bridged sila- N-heterocycles via B(C₆F₅)₃-catalyzed cascade silylation of N-aryl piperidines with hydrosilanes. Mechanistic studies indicated that an outer-sphere ionic path is operative to involve three sequential catalytic steps having N-silyl piperidinium borohydride as a resting species: (i) dehydrogenation of the piperidine ring, (ii) β-selective hydrosilylation of a resultant enamine intermediate, and (iii) intramolecular dehydrogenative sp² C-H silylation.